Jessie's Day
by lady bundtcake
Summary: Jessie hates birthdays. Prepare for trouble, and quasi-romance too!


JESSIE'S DAY  
  
September 2000  
  
Rating: PG/PG-13  
  
Genre: Drama/seriocomedy, and of course, shipping ^^  
  
Disclaimer: They're MINE!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!...or not...  
  
Summary: It's Jessie's birthday, but she's not too happy about it...   
  
Feedback: Pwease? rikachu@juno.com  
  
Dedication: To RocketJesse, my idol Rocketshippy author!  
  
Author's Note: Special thanks to Chibi Team Rocket, who so kindly read the beta version of this fic for me! Thanks a million.  
  
Revised Author's Note (11/03): This is probably my favorite TR/Rocketshippy fiction I ever wrote. I don't know, something about the way I felt when writing it. Jessie always managed to strike some chord with me, and I hope I did her justice. :)  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The alarm clock buzzed loudly, shattering the early morning silence. From the bed, a slender ivory arm poked its way out of its cave of blankets and sheets and banged firmly on the top of the clock. It missed the snooze button: the alarm continued its maddening blare. The arm swiped it and sent it careening across the room, where it hit the opposite wall, fell to the floor and broke open, sending the batteries rolling across the carpet. The clock sputtered and died.  
  
The covers on the bed were flung back, revealing a willowy young lady, who yawned as the sunlight from the open window struck her blue eyes. A leonine mane of tangled red hair surrounded her head, and as she stretched, she ran her fingers through it, detangling it. She flopped over onto one side and curled up, ready to fall back asleep.  
  
The phone rang. Angrily, she grabbed it and pressed it to her ear.   
  
"What?" she snarled.  
  
"Are you planning on getting up sometime today? We have a job to do, you know."   
  
She glanced over to where her alarm clock lay in tiny pieces and wondered briefly what time it was.   
  
"It's almost eight thirty," the voice on the line said, reading her thoughts.  
  
She sat bolt upright in her bed. "WHAT?"  
  
"I said it's almost eight thirty. We have to check out by nine."  
  
"Holy..." she muttered under her breath, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and hopping out. She hastily began pulling off her nightgown as she half jogged to the bathroom.  
  
"I'll be out in a minute," she mumbled into the phone before hanging it up and tossing it to the floor.  
  
As she walked into the bathroom, she passed by her little wall calendar. She glanced at the date.  
  
March 18th. It was her eighteenth birthday.  
  
She hated birthdays...  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
James was pacing in the main hall. He glanced at his wristwatch.  
  
She was going to be late again.  
  
He sighed and leaned against the wall, shoving his hands into his pockets. Why couldn't she be on time for once in her life?  
  
He heard a familiar padding of leather boots on terrazzo flooring and turned around in time to see Jessie, pushing her way through the crowds of employees and tugging her white jacket on over her sleek black tank top. She reached him and stood silently beside him, buttoning the front of her jacket. Then she adjusted the collar and lifted her head up, smoothing her hands through her hair as she did so.  
  
James gave her an odd look. Her long hair was tied up in a silky ponytail that reached past her waist. Two long strands of hair had fallen out and delicately framed the sides of her face.  
  
She noticed him looking at her hair and indignantly put her hands on her waist. "I didn't have time to fix it, all right??"  
  
"I wasn't saying anything!" James defended. He was silent for a moment before adding, "It looks nice like that."  
  
She was applying her candy apple red lipstick. "What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
She smacked her lips together once and dropped the lipstick in her pocket before turning to him. "Well?"  
  
James pointed meaningfully to his watch. "You're ten minutes late. What kept you?"  
  
Jessie narrowed her eyes. "Look, this was not exactly destined to be a good day."  
  
He cocked an eyebrow. "Huh?"  
  
She shook her head. "Nothing. Forget it."  
  
"We'd better check out and get to work."  
  
"Where's Meowth?"  
  
"He's already outside messing with the balloon. He's got some great new plan cooked up this time."  
  
Jessie rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. Like they ever work..."  
  
"You're really negative today."  
  
She glared at him. "So what? I told you, forget about it." She smoothed her skirt. "Let's go."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
March 18th. Four going on five.  
  
The wind from a leftover winter storm howled across the tiny house, shaking it from shingles to floor. Inside, a little girl crouched unhappily beside the kitchen stove, her legs curled up and her chin resting on her knees. Her long red hair was smoothed back into a low ponytail and tied neatly at the base of her neck with a bit of tattered ribbon. In a grubby fist, she clutched a flower: a single, red rose.  
  
Her mommy was supposed to be coming back today.  
  
It was her birthday. She had promised to come back.  
  
"Sweetheart," her mother had said, kneeling down before her. She took her daughter's small face into her hands and stared at her with warm sea-green eyes. "I promise you I'll come back by your fifth birthday."  
  
Her daughter had looked at her solemnly with ocean colored eyes. Then she looked at the floor. A crystal smooth tear rolled out of her eye and down her cheek. Her mother wiped it away with her finger.  
  
She handed the little girl a rose. Red. The same color as the girl's hair.  
  
The little girl turned her solemn gaze upward again as she watched her mother slowly lift a small satchel across her shoulder. She secured her utility belt, straightened her skirt, and walked out the door.  
  
The little girl cried...  
  
She sat now, a week later, huddled miserably into a ball. The rose was all but wilted, the red not as vibrant as it had been when she had received it. She stroked the petals softly, and a few came away in her hand. The little girl rubbed the delicate silky things against her cheek, tracing the line where her mother had brushed away tears.  
  
The wind sighed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"This is retarded."  
  
Meowth glared at her. "When I *want* your opinion, I'll give it to ya, all right?"  
  
Jessie rolled her eyes and sat down in the balloon basket. She leaned against one side and crossed her arms behind her head. "You know this isn't going to work. Nothing we ever do actually works."  
  
James was attaching a piece of rope to the side of the basket. "Come on, Jess, show a little optimism. Maybe today you'll get lucky."  
  
"That's doubtful."  
  
He turned to her and looked confused. "You know, is this your time of the month or something? Or are you just wanting to be Miss Cranky-Pants?"  
  
Jessie kicked him in the shin.  
  
Meowth laughed. "She's always Miss Cranky-Pants!"  
  
"I *will* throw you out of the balloon."  
  
The cat shut up and began quickly tying rope and avoiding Jessie's evil eye.  
  
James rubbed his leg and hobbled over to the other side of the balloon. He sat down on the floor and pulled up the leg of his pants to examine his wounds. "I think it's going to bruise..." he said, big tears welling up in his eyes.  
  
"Quit being such a baby."  
  
"I'm *not* being a baby!"  
  
Jessie groaned. "Oh, come on! You're the most pathetic wimp I know!"  
  
Her partner stuck his lip out, pouting.  
  
Jessie stood up and flipped her ponytail over her shoulders, the free strands blowing in the early morning winds. She looked over the side of the balloon to look for prospective targets.  
  
"This sucks," she muttered to herself. She crossed her arms on the edge of the basket and leaned against it.   
  
She hated this time of year. All she could ever think about was her mother, and how much she missed her. Worst of all, her birthday was a hideously painful reminder of the loss of her mom. It was the day she realized that her mother wasn't coming back, and it had devastated her. For weeks she did nothing but cry and feel miserable.  
  
She felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She bit her lip and trembled slightly, trying to hold them back.   
  
It was so hard without her.  
  
The balloon lurched sharply. Jessie screamed as she felt herself get pitched over the side...  
  
Two strong arms grabbed her forcefully by the waist and yanked her back into the balloon. With too much force. Jessie and James went tumbling over to the other side of the balloon, landing in a pile on the floor.  
  
"Ouch," Jessie muttered, detangling her legs from her partner. She glared at Meowth and grabbed him by the neck. "You stupid cat!" she screamed into his face. "Are you trying to get me killed or something?"  
  
Meowth flinched. "The way you're acting today, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try."  
  
Jessie grunted in disgust and flung him aside. Then she turned on her partner and seized him by the collar, yanking him right up to her face. "And YOU, you pathetic moron!" she yelled. "Think you could maybe bruise my ribcage a little more? Next time think before you practically break me in half!"  
  
James firmly pried her hands off his collar. He glared at her with steely eyes and said coldly, "You're welcome."  
  
He stood up, leaving her in a heap on the floor, and walked to the other side of the balloon. Jessie remained crouched on her knees before she realized what a jerk she'd been.  
  
Good grief, he'd just saved her life, and then she went and practically ripped his head off for it.  
  
She sighed heavily and glanced sideways at her best friend. He was standing with his back to her, looking out over the open fields, shoulders hunched up.  
  
Jessie put her face in her hands.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
March 18th. Twelve going on thirteen.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
An obstinate looking creature stood on the riverbank. A short shock of bright red hair framed her face, reaching just down to her ears. The little tomboy was clad in a pair of patched jeans and an oversized flannel shirt.   
  
Beside her stood a plump, cheerful boy about her age. He was somewhat awkward and a bit pigeon-toed. Long lavender hair fell past his shoulders and was pulled back with a rubber band. A single strand had managed to escape the clutches of the ponytail and instead chose to hang directly in his face, giving him something to constantly attempt to brush out of his eyes.   
  
He grinned knowingly at the girl and bent down to select a rock. He found one: a smooth, gray, flat thing. He held it out to her for her to inspect.  
  
"This is a good one. It'll go really far," he said. He gritted his teeth and expertly hurled the rock toward the river. It hit the water and skipped four times before splashing down and disappearing.  
  
The girl's mouth hung open in awe. "James, I think you have a career in this."  
  
"Maybe I could be an Olympic champion rock-skipper!" he said, his eyes growing starry.  
  
She grinned and punched him in the ribs. Then she plopped down on the bank and sighed.  
  
He sat down beside her and lay down on his back. Crossing one arm behind his head for support, he draped the other one across his stomach and looked happily up at the sky.   
  
"Pretty day."  
  
The girl shrugged. "I guess so."  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
She shrugged again. "No. Maybe. I'm not sure."  
  
He flopped over on his side to face her. "Want to tell me what's up?"  
  
"Do you think I'm pretty?"  
  
His eyes went wide and immediately he looked at the ground intently.  
  
She cocked an eyebrow and leaned down into his face. "Hello?"  
  
He lifted his head up and looked at her. He gulped once before whispering out, "Come again?"  
  
She sighed, irritated, and then slowly said, "Do...you...think...I'm...pretty??"  
  
He suddenly became interested in a piece of grass and plucked it from the ground. "I know how to use this to whistle," he said proudly.  
  
She groaned and turned away. "Forget it."  
  
"Well...Jessie, you sort of look like a boy."  
  
She spun around and glared at him harshly. "What??"  
  
"You. Look like a...boy," he said miserably.  
  
"What makes you say that??"  
  
"Well, the way you wear your hair for one thing. It's so short, it's shorter than mine."  
  
"Your hair's so long you might as well *be* a girl," Jessie muttered.  
  
"I'm going to cut it! When I have time, all right? But anyway, you wear boy's clothes, your name is a boy's name, and you don't wear makeup or perfume, and you're always getting into fights...girls don't do that."  
  
Jessie's eyes narrowed. "And what exactly do girls *do*?"  
  
James looked enormously uncomfortable. "Well...they wear skirts and play house, I guess. They don't skip rocks."  
  
Jessie was silent for a moment before pouncing forward and smacking him on the head. "That's for calling me ugly!"  
  
"Ouch! Geez, I never called you ugly! You make a very pretty boy!!"  
  
"Shut up!" she shrieked. She was on the verge of tears.  
  
He rubbed his tender head and grouchily muttered, "Why the hell did you ask, anyway?"  
  
"Because I'm thirteen years old today and I've *never* even had a boyfriend!" Jessie wailed miserably.  
  
For some reason, he found this incredibly funny. He burst into peals of laughter as he stuttered, "You with a boyfriend? Oh come on, Jess, it's never going to happen!"  
  
Jessie's mouth flew open in indignation.  
  
James continued laughing. "Like that one guy on the school soccer team you've had that crush on for, god, three years now? He couldn't care less about you!"  
  
She curled up into a miserable ball, warm tears getting ready to leak out.  
  
James wiped his eyes and giggled. "Trust me, Jess, you're going to have to do a lot more work before you get a boyfriend. You're going to have to grow out your hair and wear some makeup and have a little fashion sense before anyone will be interested in you." He rubbed his sore head again. "Even so, you still may not get one if you don't stop beating the crap out of people."  
  
"Well, *you* deserved it!" Jessie shouted. She stood up and kicked his foot. "And I'm never speaking to you again!"  
  
James watched her as she flounced off. "I only told you so because you're my best friend! I meant it in the nicest way" he called after her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"And now he thinks I'm a narcissist, isn't *that* ironic," Jessie thought bitterly.  
  
"There's one!" Meowth was saying. "Lower the net!!"  
  
James tugged on one of the many ropes to loosen it. Directly below the basket was a trainer, walking absently along the road.  
  
The net fell on the trainer and tied securely around him. He hollered as James and Meowth heaved the net up to the basket.  
  
Jessie stood with her hands on her hips and said, "Um, guys, I think the Boss is more interested in the pokémon than the trainers."  
  
Meowth sighed a explained, "Dat's why we capture the trainer and hold them hostage until they *give* us their pokémon."  
  
"That way we're not stealing. They willingly give them to us. It's so much more civil!" James said happily. He seemed to have forgotten Jessie's previous rudeness for the moment.  
  
"Ah," Jessie murmured, watching as the trainer appeared over the side of the basket, struggling to break free from the net.  
  
Meowth hopped over and stood directly in front of the young trainer. "Now give us all your pokémon and we'll let you go!" he said forcefully, pointing to the pokéballs hanging on the guy's belt.  
  
Instead of complying, the boy nabbed the closest pokéball and pressed the white button. "Scyther! GO!" he hollered.  
  
A large, green, insect-like pokémon appeared in the basket and immediately cut through the netting that bound his master, releasing him. Then the pair turned and faced Team Rocket, glaring menacingly.  
  
"Whoops, seems we've made a mistake here!" Meowth stuttered nervously. "See, this blue-haired lug thought you were someone we knew...it was all supposed to be a joke!"  
  
"I know him?" James said, confused. Meowth slapped him across the face.  
  
"Why don't you three lower me back down before there's trouble?" the man said icily.   
  
Jessie shrugged. "Whatever. It was their dumb idea anyway."  
  
"Hey, whose side are you on, anyway?" Meowth spat out.  
  
Jessie handed the man a rope. He recalled his pokémon and grabbed on to it.  
  
"Thanks," he said kindly. "You're not so bad."  
  
Jessie smiled half-heartedly. "You don't know me so well."  
  
He grinned. "You're cute. See ya," he said. Then he climbed down the rope to the ground and walked off.  
  
Jessie watched as he disappeared into the forest. James came up behind her.  
  
"Dork," he muttered.  
  
"He seemed kind of nice."  
  
"Jessie, that type of guy's only after one thing."  
  
She turned and looked at him skeptically. "And what might that be?"  
  
James's face went blank as he said, "Well...I don't know. I think I heard it in a movie once."  
  
Jessie rolled her eyes and looked back to where the man had disappeared. "I was hoping he'd ask me out to dinner, seeing as it is kind of a special day."  
  
"What, Tuesday?"  
  
She groaned and rubbed her hand across her forehead. "Look, just shut up before I hurt you."  
  
"You've already done *that* once today..."  
  
"Don't make me break your arm."  
  
James retreated to the opposite side of the basket without another word.   
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
March 18th. Fifteen going on sixteen.  
  
Jessie sighed as she stared into her little hand mirror. She reached for her bright red lipstick lying on the grass beside her and began the light application.  
  
Red was a nice color. It made her look older, more sophisticated.  
  
It was what her mother always used to wear.  
  
She gazed lazily into the hand mirror as she thought about her mother. She had these vivid memories of being four years old and going into her mother's room in the mornings to watch her get ready for work.  
  
Her mom would pull on the short black dress and her high white leather boots. Next she would pull her long, dark hair into two long ponytails that fell in large curls down her back. Then she would sit on a little stool before her little table and pick up her ivory hand mirror.   
  
They had never been wealthy. In fact, they were extremely poor and could barely afford basic necessities. But her mother always managed to put aside a little money to spend on lipstick. It was really her only luxury.  
  
She would uncap the precious tube and make the application. She never used too much at a time, because she couldn't afford to waste it.  
  
Jessie would sit on her mother's cot, her feet dangling, and sigh.  
  
Her mother would put the mirror down and turn around on her stool to face her daughter. "What was that all about?" she asked kindly, her pale eyes sparkling.   
  
"You're so pretty, Mommy. You're the prettiest mommy ever!" Jessie gushed.  
  
Her mother blushed. "Well, I don't know if I would go that far, sweetheart," she said, obviously pleased.  
  
Jessie hopped down off the cot. "Please, may I wear some?"  
  
Her mother looked down at the lipstick, and then at her daughter. "All right. Want me to show you how to put it on?"  
  
She boosted Jessie up on the stool and handed her the mirror. She placed the lipstick in her daughter's hands and helped her guide it slowly to her lips, making them the perfect shade of rose red.  
  
"There," her mother said, putting the mirror on the table and turning her daughter toward her to get a better look. "You look like a grown-up lady now!"  
  
Jessie's pure white teeth smiled between the ruby lips. "Am I as pretty as you?"  
  
Her mother had laughed and hugged her close. "Sweetheart, you're the most beautiful little girl I've ever known!"  
  
...Jessie now turned the special ivory mirror over and over in her hands. Then she slid it carefully into her small satchel-bag and smoothed her long hair.  
  
She looked up at the sky and slowly lay down on the grass, putting one arm behind her head. Her eyes focused on the creamy clouds above her as she whispered, "It's my birthday, Mommy."  
  
The clouds shifted slowly, and the wind breathed, rippling the grass and Jessie's hair. "I'm sixteen today."  
  
She continued on in the silence. "Life is okay, I guess. I have some good friends. I'm in a gang..."  
  
Jessie giggled self-consciously, imagining her mother's response to that. "It's nothing serious. It's a bike gang actually, talk about pathetic. I'm the butchest person in it. They all think I'm so tough because I have this chain that I swing around. Don't worry; I never hit anyone with it. Except James."  
  
She paused, thinking for a minute about what to say next. "James," she started, carefully forming the words. "He's my best friend, Momma. Oh, I know he can be stupid at times. And he's kind of a wimp. But he's the nicest guy I've ever met, and he'd do anything for me. I think I...I love him."  
  
She sighed. "The trouble is, he doesn't feel the same way about me. For one thing, he always forgets my birthday. Like last year he didn't even say anything, even though I dropped all these hints. And this year he's been out all day with Chopper and Tyra-they're in the gang too-and he didn't even say 'Hi' or anything. I mean, if he really liked me, you think he'd at least remember my birthday once in a while."  
  
"Jess."  
  
She sat up and whirled around to see James, looking confused as usual. "Who were you talking to?"  
  
"Ah..." Jessie stammered, "No one. Just thinking out loud."  
  
"Oh," James said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, it's your turn to cook dinner tonight. The rest of the gang wanted me to remind you, 'cause it's getting kind of late."  
  
Jessie sighed and stood up. "Okay. Tell them I'll be there in a minute."  
  
She watched silently as James walked back toward the gang's hangout before rolling her eyes heavenward. "See what I mean?" she muttered softly before slinging her satchel over her shoulders and heading off after her friend.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The team sat unhappily on the ground, munching the bag lunches Mondo had brought for them. Jessie sucked her apple juice disconsolately through a straw, wishing she were anywhere but in the middle of a stupid field.  
  
Mondo sat in the Jeep, talking on the radio to headquarters. He nodded a few times before saying goodbye, hung up the radio, and hopped out of the vehicle to talk to the older Rockets.  
  
"Are your lunches okay?" he asked kindly.  
  
James nodded emphatically as he reached for another donut. Meowth was busying himself with a toothpick.  
  
Jessie reached back into her bag to see what else was in there and her hand clutched a small envelope. She brought it out and tugged it open with her index finger revealing a pink, heart-shaped card. She opened it.  
  
"To Jessie, on your eighteenth birthday. I hope it's a great one!" it read. "Sincerely, Mondo."  
  
Jessie turned to face the younger boy, who was looking intently at the ground, a bright red blush spreading across his face.  
  
She smiled at him. "Thank you," she said, standing up and giving him a warm hug.  
  
Mondo's face went crimson as he smiled rather giddily. "You're welcome," he said happily, returning the hug.  
  
James's eyes grew large and confused. "Um...what's that all about?" he stammered uneasily.  
  
Jessie turned to face him, her eyes narrowing. "Mondo just proved he's more of a gentleman than some people I know."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
She growled low in her throat and produced the card, tossing it at James. "There. Read."  
  
His eyes scanned the card, and he looked up at her with soft green eyes.  
  
"Jessie..."  
  
"You *always* forget, James," she muttered irritably. "That time when I was thirteen, I had to remind you about it, and then you called me ugly. Growing up in that stupid bicycle gang, you *never* remembered. You were always busy hanging out with Chopper or something. I never even got a cake. *Everybody* gets cake but me!!"  
  
"But Jess..."  
  
"Shut up! You don't get it, do you? You're my best friend," she was on the verge of tears now. Her voice dropped to a whisper as she said, "My mother died on my birthday, James. You have no idea how much that hurts me."  
  
James's voice faltered. He was unable to speak.  
  
Jessie turned to Mondo and said with dignity, "I think I'm going to head back to Team Rocket Headquarters. Can I take your Jeep?"  
  
Mondo silently handed her the keys. Jessie hopped into the car, started it up, and sped off toward home.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
March 17th. Sixteen years old. Just before midnight.  
  
All was dark at Team Rocket Headquarters. Nearly everyone was asleep, save for the few night guards making their rounds. Things were quiet.  
  
On the very top of the building sat a lone female figure. Long hair blew in silky tendrils around her tearstained face.   
  
She'd been up there for hours, thinking about what had happened.  
  
Earlier that day, she and her best friend had somehow found themselves at the door to this place. They were both young and had no means of income. Until recently, they'd both belonged to a group of outcast bike riders who called themselves the Bridge Bike Gang, but the gang had broken up. Now they needed work and a place to stay, so this seemed like a relatively safe option.  
  
"It's just for a little while, I guess," James had said nervously, as they sat in the lobby waiting to be called into the boss's office.  
  
Jessie nodded, staring at her reflection in the floor. "I guess," she sighed, rubbing her hands together.   
  
"Jessica? James?" a young woman, clad in a black outfit and clutching a clipboard, called out for them.  
  
Jessie turned to her friend and shrugged as she stood up. "Come on, it won't be so bad. My mother used to work here."  
  
"Really? Your mom used to steal other people's pokémon?" James asked, incredulous.  
  
Jessie coughed. "Well...I guess you could call it that. But we were really poor and we had to get money somehow, right?"  
  
The young woman ushered the two of them into a large, marble decorated room. A man in a red suit sat behind a large oaken desk, typing something onto a computer. Beside his desk stood a small Meowth with a rather devious-looking face. He noticed the two teenagers walk in and tugged on the man's pantleg. "Sir, the new applicants are here," he said excitedly.  
  
Jessie's eyes widened. A talking Meowth?  
  
The man, who Jessie assumed must be the boss, looked up at them with small black eyes. He narrowed them as he sized the two up.  
  
"What pokémon do you have?" he asked.  
  
James pulled a pokéball out of his pocket, enlarged it, and tossed it forward. It opened to reveal his Koffing. The purple thing bobbed there, looking pleased with itself.  
  
The boss nodded. James recalled Koffing and put the ball back in his pocket.  
  
Jessie held out her empty hands. "I don't have any pokémon," she said shakily.  
  
The boss narrowed his eyes further before turning back to the boy. "We'll take you," he said. "Go with Meowth to be fitted with a uniform."  
  
James firmly stood his ground. "No, sir," he said.  
  
"What?"  
  
James licked his lips as he quavered, "No, sir. I won't leave Jessie. I'd like for her to be my partner, and if you won't take her as well, then I guess we'll have to find work someplace else."  
  
The boss glared at the both of them before relaxing into his chair. Sighing, he said, "Have it your way. Both of you go with Meowth. And you," he pointed to Jessie, "find a pokémon before tomorrow."  
  
Jessie nodded solemnly and the three of them left the room.  
  
As they walked down the hall, Meowth spoke up to them. "You know, you really shouldn't talk like that to the boss, uh..."  
  
"James."  
  
"James. He don't like that."  
  
"Well, Jessie's my best friend. We do everything together."  
  
"Meowth," Jessie said, "Do you know where I can get a pokémon?"  
  
Meowth shrugged, opening a door and leading them inside. "I could probably find one without its master around here somewhere. All ya have to do is swipe it."  
  
"You mean steal someone else's pokémon?" James gasped.   
  
Meowth groaned. "That's what Team Rocket *does*, James. Ya better get used to it if you plan on staying on the boss's good side."  
  
Later that day, Jessie and James sat together at a table in the mess hall, eating lunch. A small boy of about fourteen approached them, carrying a tray of food.  
  
"Hi," he said in a friendly tone, brown eyes sparkling, "Mind if I sit down?"  
  
"No," Jessie said. He sat down beside her, carefully arranging the food on his tray.  
  
"You guys are new here, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Are you?"  
  
"Nope," he said cheerfully. "My name's Mondo, and I've been here almost a year. I'm mostly a helper: I'm the one who always goes and cleans up after everyone, and brings them food and supplies and stuff. What about you?"  
  
"I'm Jessie, and that's James," Jessie said, nodding toward her partner. "We've known each other forever, and we needed a job, so we figured we'd stick around here a while."  
  
"I see," Mondo said, munching on his sandwich. "Well, I hope you guys do well. The boss can get really mean if you screw up a lot."  
  
A blonde girl with pigtails approached the table. She looked a little older than Jessie, and she was very pretty in her black uniform. She grinned evilly at the newcomers with deep purple eyes.  
  
"Well, fresh meat," she muttered. "What brings these losers here?"  
  
"They're new members today. I was just saying hello," Mondo said, not meeting the older girl's gaze.  
  
The blonde glared at the little boy. "You're supposed to be *our* helper, Dumbo."  
  
"It's Mondo," he grimaced uncomfortably.  
  
"Whatever. Why are you over here with this skank?"  
  
"Just saying hi, Cassidy."  
  
"Hey Cass. This shrimp giving you trouble again?" a boy a year or so older than James had appeared at Cassidy's side. He had short aqua hair and held a cigarette in one hand.  
  
"Butch, you know, smoking can ruin your voice," Mondo warned.  
  
Butch slapped the back of the kid's head. "Shut up, twerp." He turned to look at Jessie. "Hmm. You're kind of cute. What's your name?"  
  
"Butch!" Cassidy whined.  
  
"Just trying to get acquainted," Butch grinned. "What's your name?"  
  
"It's Jessie," she glowered.  
  
"Ah. Your girlfriend?" he asked James.  
  
The lavender haired boy had been silent through all this. He now looked up at Butch with wide eyes and shook his head slightly.  
  
"Wouldn't expect a hot chick like her to want much to do with a pansy like you anyway," Butch said. He wrapped his arm around Cassidy's waist. "Let's go."  
  
After lunch, Jessie walked alone through the hallways to find her dorm room. It wasn't far from James's room; in fact, it was the room directly above his. She'd be able to see him from her balcony. Plus, there was a phone in each of their rooms so they could get in contact with one another. At least she wouldn't be lonely.  
  
She walked along, looking for her room. Suddenly, she ran straight into a group of guys, hitting on full on in the chest.  
  
"Um, sorry," she murmured, trying to walk around them.  
  
"No problem, babe," the one she'd run into said.  
  
There were five in all, and they stood in front of her, not letting her by.  
  
"Excuse me," Jessie said in a stiff voice. "I have to be going..."  
  
"Not so fast, cutie," one of the boys said. He grabbed her around the waist and looked straight into her eyes.  
  
"Let me go!" Jessie yelled, kicking with all her strength. She managed to yank herself out of the boy's grasp, the force being enough to throw her onto her back.   
  
The men began advancing on her, and Jessie knew better than to try and get up. She lay on her back and kicked both her legs out powerfully. Her heeled boots caught one boy in the jaw; another landed in someone's stomach.   
  
It wasn't any good. The remaining three managed to grab onto her and force her to stop moving. The first boy she'd run into said, "Girly, you obviously don't know much about how things work around here. But the men can have whatever they want."  
  
Jessie spat in his face. "There. Have some of that."  
  
He growled before smacking her across the face. She grunted in pain and he grabbed her jaw with his huge hand, kissing her.  
  
She squirmed beneath his touching and his foul breath and tried desperately to break free from their grasp, but there were too many of them to fight.  
  
"Leave her alone!"  
  
The boy kissing her stopped and turned around. Jessie saw a familiar face, the features hardened into a scowl, the fair lavender hair falling past his ears.  
  
The other boy sneered. "What are you going to do about it?"  
  
James hurled his one and only pokéball. "Koffing, go!" he yelled.  
  
Koffing popped out and immediately filled the air with green smog. James hurled himself into the crowd of boys, beating, clawing, and kicking. Jessie felt the vice-like grips on her arms and legs release as she fell to the floor. In the smoke, she couldn't see, so she lay there, not moving.  
  
A hand gripped her wrist and jerked her to her feet. "Come on!"  
  
She ran along with her partner as they burst through the wall of smoke and ran down the hallway to safety.  
  
Later...  
  
She had crawled up to the top of the building to be alone and to think. She hated this...her first day at Team Rocket had been one huge nightmare. She put her face in her hands and wondered why she thought this would be okay.   
  
"This is hell," she moaned.  
  
"It's not so bad with you around."  
  
Jessie turned to find the source of the voice. James was crouched behind her, his emerald eyes sparkling in the darkness. He slid across the roof and sat beside her, putting his arm around his shoulders and hugging her to him.  
  
For the first time since she could remember, Jessie leaned against him and allowed herself to cry. He said nothing, just hugged her tighter. For several minutes, there was nothing but the sound of her soft sobbing.   
  
She finally looked up at him and smoothed his black t-shirt. "I got it all wet," she said, giggling slightly.  
  
James smiled. "It'll wash."  
  
She leaned against him and sighed shakily. He ran a hand across her hair, smoothing it.  
  
"I have something for you."  
  
Jessie tilted her head up to look at him. "What is it?"  
  
He reached into his pocket and held out a pokéball. Her eyes widened. "You didn't..."  
  
"Yep. They gave it to me, as a thank you for getting those guys kicked out today. I thought you should have it."  
  
Jessie took the pokéball and pressed the white button. A flash of white light illuminated the rooftop as a beautiful violet Ekans appeared.  
  
"Oh," Jessie breathed. "Wow."  
  
Somewhere in the distance, a clock chimed midnight. Jessie suddenly remembered what day it was.  
  
"Happy Birthday," she murmured softly to herself.  
  
"What was that?" James asked.  
  
She looked at him, rolling her eyes. "You always forget, don't you? Oh well...nevermind."  
  
"You like?"  
  
"I do. Thank you." She recalled Ekans and slid the pokéball into her skirt pocket. She stood up and gave James a hand, hoisting him to his feet. "Come on. Let's go home."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jessie sped on down the road toward headquarters. It was dark now, and she was speeding, in a hurry to get back before curfew. She glanced down at the speedometer and saw she was doing 80. She pressed her foot down harder on the accelerator and drove on.  
  
She saw the flashing lights before she heard the siren. Glancing into her rearview mirror, the colored display of lights danced on the head of the police motorcycle. She growled.  
  
"Damn it!" she muttered, slowing down and pulling off to the side of the road.  
  
The wail of the police siren increased as Officer Jenny pulled up to her Jeep. She got off the motorcycle and walked up to Jessie.  
  
"All right, lady, let's see some ID."  
  
Jessie grumbled as she pulled her wallet out of her pocket and withdrew her license. She slapped it in Jenny's palm and slammed back into her seat, angry at everything.  
  
Jenny attached it to her clipboard and began writing out a ticket. She noticed the birth date on the card and glanced at her watch. "Oh, it's your eighteenth birthday today," she said, handing her the license.  
  
Jessie slid it back into her wallet and hopefully said, "Yes?" Maybe Jenny was going to let her off as a birthday present.  
  
The world at least owed her *that* much for a lifetime of sorry birthdays.  
  
Jenny tore off the ticket and slapped it in Jessie's hand. "Happy Birthday," she said cheerfully, hopping onto her motorcycle and speeding off.   
  
Jessie waited until she was a long ways away before flipping her off. Then she glanced at the ticket.  
  
"A HUNDRED AND NINETY DOLLARS??"   
  
She groaned and banged her head against the steering wheel.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jessie snuck silently back into headquarters. It was already way past curfew time and she didn't dare take any chances on getting caught. She crept like a cat burglar down the hall to her room, twisted her key into the lock, and slipped in. Shutting the door, she breathed a sigh of relief and switched the lights on.   
  
She was tired. The day had pretty much sucked. She glanced at her clock to see what time it was, and saw the broken thing lying on the floor from where she'd thrown it that morning.   
  
Jessie didn't care. She was beyond caring. With a tired heart, she tugged off her boots, gloves, and jacket leaving her in a white miniskirt and black tank top.  
  
The light on her answering machine was blinking. Odd. Who would have called her?  
  
No one except James, and he was probably already asleep.  
  
She punched the button and took her ponytail down as the tape rewound. Her hair fell down her back in a heavy mass and she ran her fingers through it.  
  
"...You may want to check your balcony out. Bye."  
  
Jessie glanced at the answering machine, confused. The voice had been James, but the message was weird. She rewound the tape and played it again.  
  
Then, on a whim, she walked to the balcony doors, opened them, and stepped out.  
  
There was a piece of rope tied around the leg of her patio chair, and it swung over the balcony's edge. A sign was attached to it, reading, "This Way."  
  
She tore off the piece of paper and examined it. Definitely James's handwriting. Curious, she peered over the edge of the balcony and saw that the rope extended all the way to his room.  
  
She grinned despite herself and grabbed onto the rope, swinging herself over the edge and climbing down to his floor. Once there, she looked at the door to his room.  
  
It was framed with an elaborate design of roses and balloons. A huge banner stretched across the top of the doorframe and read, "Happy Birthday, Jessie!" in large pink letters.  
  
Jessie giggled and went to the door. It hung slightly open, so she pushed it and walked in.   
  
The room was softly lit with candles, and rose petals were strewn everywhere. A large cake sat on a table, with pink icing roses decorating it. Beside it lay a card, which Jessie picked up.  
  
It read, "I didn't forget this year. Honest. Love, James."  
  
A tear slipped out her eye as she folded the card and placed it back on the desk. She turned around.  
  
James was standing there.   
  
They made eye contact, but no movement. Jessie's eyes gleamed in the semidarkness. James softly spoke up.  
  
"I really do like your hair like that."  
  
"Thanks. I didn't even fix it."  
  
"Everything okay?"  
  
"Oh, you know. I've never liked birthdays much."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"They're never any fun."  
  
"Maybe today you'll get lucky."  
  
Jessie stepped toward him and threw her arms around his neck. She whispered, "I think I'm already pretty lucky."  
  
He slid his arms around her waist and held her close. "Happy Birthday, Jessie."  
  
They hugged tightly for a moment before pulling away, still holding each other.   
  
"Well," James said cheerfully. "How about some cake?" 


End file.
